Control mechanism for presses



Aug. 7, 1951 A. EPPLER, JR

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1947 III II l r I I 1 ll lllllll ll Inventor Awdr'ew E'pplerJr A. EPPLER, JR

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRESSES Aug. 7, 1-951 2 Sheets-Shem. 2

Filed Oct. 11, 1947 Inventor Andrew E pplen Jr 1 may , Patented Aug. 7, 1 95i T T? CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PRESSES Andrew Eppler, Jr., Lynn, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.. J a corporation of New Jersey,

Application October 11, 1947, Serial No. 779,276

This invention relates to power-operated mech anisms, and more particularly to control mechanisms therefor. The invention is illustrated herein as applied to a two-station sole-pressing machine although it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to machines of the particular type-illustrated or to machines for pressing the soles of shoes.

Pressing machines are commonly provided with two hand-control members which require both hands of the operator to operate the mechanism by which the press is closed. By requiring the useof both hands of the operator the danger of injury to his hand" by failing to withdraw it completely from between the press members after placing a work piece thereon is eliminated. The present invention is concerned with safety control mechanisms of this general character as applied to two-station machines.

In order to attain maximum production by an operator, pressing machines are commonly made with two stations which are s'o arranged that when one station is closed, i. e., applying pressure to a work piece between the-press members, the other station is open-for the reception of a work piece to be operated upon.- Each time that the machine is operated one station is opened and the other is closed so that no time is wasted in loading and unloading the ma-- chine. To facilitate the operation of such a machine a control member for the mechanism by which the press is operated may be'associated with each station so that the operator by standing at either station may readily operate the machine. The control members may operate suitable mechanism such as a half revolution clutch arranged to be engaged upon operation of either control member thereby to open one station of the machine and close the other station.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in a machine of this type, improved safety mechanism which requires the use of both hands of the operator when standing at either station of the machine to start the machine in -operation. To this end, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the machine is provided with three manual control members one of which is located between the stations of the machine and is readily accessible to the operator when standing at either station and the others of which are located one at each side of the machine adjacent to one of the two stations thereof, the control members being so arranged that the machine can be started by manipu1a-' 2 Claims. (01. 192-131) tion'of the central control member and eithe one of the other control members and can be started in no other manner. To insure the maximum safety of the machine the control members are soarranged that no one of them may be tied-in any one position and the machine then started by a manipulation of one only of the other members but it is necessary that the cen-: tral control member and one of the other 'control members be actually moved each time that the machine is to be started in operation."

"-The above and other features of the invention, including various details of construction and novel combinations of parts will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

" In the drawings,

'IJFig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of one form of machine in which the invention is embodied;

' Fig. 2. is an angular view of the central control member and associated mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

.Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the clutch tical movement by a pair of rods l6 which extend upwardly from the lower portion of the base It. Extending rearwardly and downwardly from each of the press members i4 is a frame [8 the lower end of which carries a pin 20 for one end of a toggle link 22. Each link 22 is connected by a pivot pin 23 to a toggle link 24 which is pivoted at 26 to the base It. When the'toggle links are straightened as shown at station A, the upper press member [4 is in pressing relationshipwith respect to the press member lzthereby to press or mold a sole S placed therebetween. shown at station B, the upper press member isfelevat'ed above the press member l2 so that ajworkpiece may be removed from the lower press member and a new work piece placed thereon. I v

Y Carried by the pivot pins 23 and extending toward each other are arms 28 pivotally connect-' ed at 30 to afe'rank arm 32 secured to a; shaft 34:" -When' the shaft 'is rotated' l" from the When the toggle is broken as" position shown in Fig. l the toggle at station B is straightened and the toggle at station A is broken so that the press member I4 at station A is elevated and the press member I4 at station B is moved downwardly to act upon the work. For thus turning the shaft 34 a. motor 36 is carried by the base of the machine and is connected through reduction gearing 38, 40 and 42 to a gear 44 journaled on the shaft 34. This gear has secured to it, as shown in Fig. 4, a ring 46 forming one element of a rotary pin-type clutch 48. The other element 50 of the clutch is keyed to the shaft 34 and has journaled therein a pin 52 having a cutaway portion 54 projecting into the ring 46. When the pin 52 is turned from the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the cutaway portion enters one of a plurality of recesses 56 in the ring 46 thereby to couple the ring to the clutch element 59 causing rotation of the shaft 34.

3 The-pin 52 is acted upon by a spring 58 which tends to move, the pin in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. to engage the clutch elements. The extent of movement of the pin 52 by the spring 58 is limited by a tail 6!] formed on the pin which engages the inner surface of the clutch element 46. For holding the pin 52 in the position shown in Fig. 5 when the machine is at rest and to move the pin into this position upon completion of a cycle of operations of the machine which occurs at each 180 of movement of the shaft 34, stops 62, 64 are provided. These stops are located in the path of movement of an arm 66 extending outwardly from the pin 52. so that upon each 180 of movement of the shaft the arm engages one or the other of the stops causing movement of the pin 52 in a clockwise, direction against the action of the spring 58 as shown in Fig. 5. I

The stop 62 is formed at one end of a lever 68 pivoted on a pin Ill carried by a supporting member I2 which is journaled on a bushing I4 (Fig. 4) surrounding a reduced portion of the shaft 34. The other end of the lever 68 is connected by a link I6 to an arm .18 pivoted at 80 on the supporting member 72, the stop 64 being formed on the arm, I8. In order to initiate a; cycle of operations of the machine the lever 68 is moved in a counterclockwise direction by means to be described thus moving the stop 62 outwardly of the clutch and. this movement is communicated through link 16 to the arm 18 so that regardless of which stop is engaged by the arm 66 it will be moved outwardly thereof permitting engagement of the clutch and operation of the machine. Shortly thereafter the lever 6.8 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 5 as will be explained so that after the shaft 34 has turned 180 the arm 66 will move into engagement with one of the stops causing the machine to come to rest. In order to stop rotation of the shaft 34 as soon as the clutch is disengaged, the clutch member 50 has secured to it a brake drum 82 around which extends a brake band 84. One end of this band is connected to the pin carried by the supporting member 12 and the other end of the band is connected to one end of a lever 86 pivoted at 88 to the frame of the machine. The other end of the lever 86 is pivotally connected to a block 99 threaded on a screw 92 by which the position of the lever 86 on the pin 88 may be adjusted. When the arm 66 engages one of the stops 62, 64 it tends tomove the supporting member 12 in a counterclockwise directhus causing the brake band. 84 to wrap tightly around the surface of the drum 82 so that the shaft 34 is quickly brought to rest. When the stops 62, 64 are moved outwardly of the clutch the supporting member I2 is moved in a clockwise direction by a spring 94 connected between the lever 68 and the frame of the machine thereby to release the brake band from the drum permitting rotation of the shaft 34. It will be readily seen that the position of the lever 86 may be varied by adjustment of the screw 92 to compensate for any wear of the brake band 84.

For releasing the stops 62, 64, an upwardly extending bar 96 is provided which is pivoted to one end of the, lever 68 and is arranged to be moved upwardly by the operator when he desires to start the machine. The upper end of the bar 96 is provided with an L-shaped slot 98 (Fig. 2) through which passes a pin I69 carried by an arm I02 secured to a forwardly and rearwardly extending rockshaft I94. A spring I05 urges the bar 96 to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, so that when, the parts are in their starting positions the. pin I00- is. located in the right-hand ing upward movement of one of the press mem-v bers I4 and downward movement of the other.

After the, shaft 34 has rotated through a small portion of its of movement the bar 96 is moved to the right'so thatv the vertical portion of the slot 98 receives the pin I96 whereupon the. bar 96 is moved downwardly by the spring 94 acting on the lever 68 to move the stops 62, 64 inwardly toward the clutch. It will be noted that the spring 94 is so arranged as to tend to move the lever 68 is a clockwise direction as well as to move the supporting member I2 in the same direction. I q

For moving the bar 96 to .the right as; viewed in Figs. l and2 after themachinehas started, the following mechanism is provided; Carried by the outer surface of theclutch elementtfi is a pair of cams I98 spaced 180 apart in the path of which isa cam roll III] on the lower end of a releasearm II:2 pivoted at H4 in the base of the machine. The upper end of the release arm H2 is situated adjacent to the upper end of the bar 96 so that when one of the cams I98 engages the roll II9 causing movement of the release arm I I2,

the-pin I 98 isagain located in the. lower right hand portion of the slot 98. This movement of the bar.

96: at this time is caused by: the spring I96, the

release arm II2 being free to, permit this move.- ment as the cams I98 are not in contact with the cam roll II 0.

In order to rock the shaft I64 thereby to cause operation of the machine. three manual control members, I I6, i I18 and I20 are provided, the controt member I18 beinglocated between the two stations of the machineend the; members H6,

I281 at; the left. and right sides. of. the. machine re.-

speetively. ,Thesegcontrolmembersare pivoted to,

heibgsesqi th machineat Mi Us. .112! respectlvely and are so arranged; as' -Will be described, that the member I I8 and either one o f the other member's'inust be moved each"timetliei rriachine is to be started. This arrangement-insuresthat both hands of the operator will-be: engaged in starting, the operation o the machine thus e l im; inatingthedanger that through carelessness' he might start the machine beforew'ithdrawing his hand'from between the press members at that station of the machine which'is open. Secured to the rockshaft I04 are upwardly and downlwardly extending arms I22, I24 which a reconnected'by links I26, I28 respectively to the lower ends of the control members I20, I it. Thus movement of either one of these control members toward the center of the machine acts to move the rockshaft I04 in a clockwise direction if such movement of the shaft is permitted. In order that the shaft may be thus moved the control member II8 must be simultaneously moved in one direction or the other. The lower end of control member II8, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, has a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface I30 terminating in a downwardly facing shoulder I32. The surface I30 is flanked by surfaces I34 which are inclined forwardly and upwardly to provide upwardly facing shoulders I36. The extreme lower end of the control member H8 is provided with a forwardly extending flange I38. Integral with the arms I22, I24 is an arm I40 extending toward the left and carrying in its outer end a detent I42 urged rearwardly by a spring I44 (Fig. 3). The outer end of the detent I42 rides against the adjacent surface of the control member I I8 and with the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the detent is confined against movement between the flange I38 and the shoulder I32 so that the shaft I04 cannot be rocked by operation of either of the control members H6, I20 to cause engagement of the clutch. If, however, the control member H8 is moved either to the right or left the stop I32 will move away from the detent I42 and shaft I04 can then be rocked whereupon the detent will move upwardly over one of the inclined surfaces I34 until it snaps over one of the upwardly facing shoulders I36, thereby locking the shaft I04 against return movement. The shaft 34 now begins to rotate and the release arm II2 operates to move the bar 96 so that the pin I enters the vertically extending portion of the slot 98 permitting downward movement of the bar 96 to stop rotation of the shaft 34 after it has completed 180 of movement as heretofore described.

In order now to start the machine again the shaft I04 must be returned to its original position which can only be done by returning the control member II8 to its vertical position thus permitting the detent I42 to move downwardly over the surface I30 and back to the position shown in Fig. 2. This done the machine can be started again by moving one of the control mem-.- bers H6 and the control member IIB to repeat the cycle just described. The control member H8 is normally held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by a pair of oppositely acting springs I46 which surround a rod I48 pivoted to and extending laterally from the control member II8. These springs act on opposite faces of a downwardly extending projection I50 carried by the base of the machine, the outer ends of the springs acting on collars secured to the rod I 48. Regardless of which direction the control member I I8 is moved the springs I46 will return it to its central or vertical position when the control member is shown in Fig. 1 and the only movements which I04 is a spring I52 which acts to move the. shaft I04 in a counterclockwise direction. Accordingly it will be seen that when the operator removes;

his hands from the control members thesemembers-will automatically return to the positions the operator. must impart to the control members'are "those which are necessary to start the machine. Inasmuch as it is necessary that the control members be first returned to their original positions before the machine can again be started these is no possibility of the operator tying one of the controls in a fixed position with the expectation that the control of the machine may thereafter be effected by manipulation of only one of the control members.

From the above it will be seen that by a simple arrangement one control member is made to serve both stations of the machine, there being a pair of control members for each station of the machine which must be operated simultaneously each time the machine is to be started, one control member of each pair being common to the two pairs. Thus the operator can control the starting of the machine at either side thereof but must always employ both hands in order to engage the clutch by which the machine is started.

Having thus .described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A pressing machine having two stations each of which includes a movable press member, poweroperated means for alternatel moving said press members into and out of pressing positions, a first control member located centrally of said machine,

second and. third control members located at opposite sides of the machine, mechanism operated only by movement of either said second or said third control member from predetermined starting positions for rendering said power-operated means operative, an arm connected to said second and third control members for movement thereby when the control members are moved, a pin carried by said arm, a stop carried by the first control member cooperating with said pin with the first control member in one position to prevent movement of the second and third control members away from starting positions, and other stops carried by the first control member cooperating with said pin with the first control member out of said one position to prevent return movement of the second and third control mem bers to starting positions.

2. Starting mechanism for a two-station pressing machine comprising a clutch, mechanism operative upon each engagement of the clutch for opening one station of the machine and closing the other station thereof, means for automatically disengaging said clutch after each operation of said mechanism, a first manual control member convenient to both stations of the machine, a second manual control member convenient to one station only of the machine, a third manual control member convenient to the other station only of the machine, mechanism operated only by movement of said second or said third control member from predetermined starting positions for causing engagement of said clutch, an arm connected to said second and third control members for movement thereby when the control H V 5 members are moved, a pin carried by said arm; REFERENCES CITED earned by the first 09mm! member The following references are of record in the operating with said pin with the first control file oi this patent: member in oneosition to prevent movement of the second and third control members away from 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS starting positions, and other stops carried by the Number Name Date first control member cooperating with said pin 906,477 Wagandt Dec. 8, 1908 with the first control member out of said one po- 1,274,723 Rouche Aug. 6, 1918 sition to prevent return movement of the second 1,514,606 Elliott Nov. 11, 1924 and third control members to starting positions. 10' 1,527,925 Schade' Feb. 24, 1925' 2,005,043 Mall June 18, I935 ANDREW EPPLER, JR. 2,355,119 Stratton Aug. 8, 1944 

